SAVE THE DATE
May 15 - 17, 2026
in Fès, Maroc
Organized by Deutschzentrum Fès SARL and Interkulturelles Centrum Freiburg gGmbH
Managing Director: Dr. Zakariae Soltani
About the symposium
Standardized language tests are of central importance worldwide for education, migration, integration, access to employment, and academic mobility. Now they face new challenges like digitization, security issues, task rotation, social expectations, fairness, validity, reliability, and international comparability.
The symposium brings together experts from academia, education, testing, and public institutions. The focus will be:
- the latest developments in language testing research
- the exchange of empirical findings
- discussion of quality standards, ethical issues, test design, linguistic foundations
- the impact of language certificates on migration, the labor market, and education systems
The aim is to critically examine key issues and develop perspectives for the reliable, fair, and future-oriented design of standardized language tests.
Conference objectives
These are the objectives we aim to achieve together with you at the symposium.
- Presenting current developments in language testing research
- Reflecting on quality standards and validity models
- Highlighting international best practice examples
- Discussing challenges in the global testing context
- Formulating ideas for future developments
Become a speaker!
We cordially invite you to actively participate in the International Symposium 2026 “Quality, Validity, and the Future of Standardized Language Testing.”
Your expertise is crucial to shedding light on key questions:
- How can language tests become more reliable?
- How do we ensure fairness?
- Which models and technologies will ensure quality in the future?
- How can we address global challenges such as digitization, task rotation, and international comparability?
Contribute your voice, your knowledge, and your research — and become part of an international expert discussion that makes a difference.
About the organizer
The symposium is organized by the Deutschzentrum Fès (DZF) and the Interkulturelles Centrum Freiburg (ICF) under the direction of Dr. Zakariae Soltani.
DZF in Morocco offers high-quality, practical German courses for professionals from various industries and provides targeted preparation for standardized exams. As a regionally and internationally recognized institution, the DZF stands for methodological quality and effective language teaching.
ICF in Freiburg is a non-profit educational institution with many years of expertise in the qualification and counseling of international healthcare professionals. With a focus on recognition and professional integration in Germany, the ICF combines professional competence, practice-oriented qualification courses, and modern learning methods.
Together, the DZF and ICF pool their experience in language teaching, education management, and professional integration. They guarantee a professionally sound, practical, and future-oriented symposium that provides significant impetus for the further development of language examinations in science and practice.
Venue
Bureaux des Experts
Avenue du Prince Héritier 30
30010 Fès / Maroc
Register now!
Secure your place at the 2026 international conference!
- Meet experts from the fields of science, education, testing, and public institutions.
- Learn about the latest developments in language research, education systems, and migration processes.
- Understand key current challenges such as digitalization, security requirements, task rotation, and rising expectations for fairness and transparency.
- Gain insights into the social significance of fair and reliable examination procedures.
- Discuss how language certificates can open up opportunities, enable mobility, and strengthen integration processes.
Do you have any questions?
We are always happy to help and will assist you with any queries you may have about the event.
Contact the conference team:
E info@icf-centrum.de
T +49 (0) 761 389 142 75
Contact the organizer:
Dr. Zakariae Soltani
E soltani@icf-centrum.de
T +49 (0) 176 622 507 44